Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique

Werrason & Wenge Maison Mère(Congo-Kinshasa)

Biography

Wenge Musica was formed in 1981 by Didier Masela,
Aimé Bwanga, Werrason and Alain Mwanga.
The young outfit played modern soukous music inspired by Viva la Musica and
Zaiko Langa Langa. Singers like J.B. M'Piana,
Blaise Bula and Marie-Paul Kambulu joined later.

In the early 1990s, Wenge Musica split between two factions, Wenge Musica BCBG and
Wenge Musica Aile Paris (Paris-wing). At the end of the 1990s, a third Wenge
offshoot, Wenge Musica Maison Mère was formed, with Werrason as lead singer
after a split up with J.B. M'Piana's BCBG. The success followed immediately, especially with the album
« Solola Bien! ».

Werrason and his band members were successful for their energetic sebenes and génériques
and every new album was an important happening for Congolese fans. But despite the success,
Wenge Maison Mère also suffered from defections of members, singer Adolphe Dominguez left
the band in 2001 to create Wenge Tonya Tonya. In 2004, prominent members such as
Bill Kalonji "Bill Clinton" and "Chair de poule"
Hervé Ferre Gola, Mulopwe "Jus d'été" and
Serge Mabiala left and created a new, but shortlived outfit
Les Marquis de Maison Mère.

Subsequently, Werra Son had to recrute new singers to replace those who left. New singers are Bonbon Kojack,
Eboa Lotin, Jitrois and Capuccino.
New animators are KeneKene and Roi David and new on guitar are
Thierry Mogratana, Polystar and Michel.
They first appeared on the single « Alerte générale ».
Since, the personnel changes have continued and even some of these newcomers were already dismissed or left to join
other bands or to try a solo career.

Wenge Maison Mère is created: as a third off-shoot of Wenge Musica, in 1997Werrason is born: as Ngiama Makanda Noel, 25 december 1965, in BandunduStyle: Modern Congolese music, soukous, ndombolo, Congolese rumba